A mobile version of Grand Theft Auto Online now seems inevitable following Take-Two Interactive’s intended acquisition of Zynga. Announced earlier this week, Take-Two Interactive’s purchase will cost $12.7 billion, surpassing the record for the highest price of an acquisition in the gaming industry. Previously, the record was held by Tencent when it acquired Supercell for over $8 billion, followed by Microsoft when the company obtained Bethesda for $7.5 billion in 2021.
Based in the United States, Take-Two Interactive is most well-known for its role as a holding company, meaning that it primarily invests in other publishing and development studios to create a corporate group. Two of the companies owned by Take-Two are Rockstar Games and 2K. Rockstar Games is, of course, the powerhouse behind hit games like Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto, which is why GTA Online on mobile seems likely.
Zynga, meanwhile, is famed for its work on mobile games. Its most recognizable title, however, at least in the mainstream lexicon, is FarmVille, which was incredibly popular on Facebook in 2009 and didn't officially shut down until last year. Words With Friends and its sequel, aptly named Words With Friends 2, were other commercial successes. Now, Zynga may be bringing that kind of success to a mobile port of GTA Online.
Zynga's Acquisition Indicates A Mobile GTA Online Port Could Release
Because of Zynga’s storied relationship to mobile games, it undeniably makes sense that a mobile port of GTA Online would be a priority for the company under Take-Two Interactive’s management. Considering Grand Theft video Auto 5, which includes GTA Online, is one of the most profitable, popular, and streamed products in game history, earning more than $6.4 billion since its launch in 2013, the hypothetical financial gain from a mobile version of GTA Online is astounding. In addition to attracting new, mobile-only players, it could also bolster the already rabid fanbase, especially if cross-progression is involved.
Additionally, a mobile port of Grand Theft Auto Online may be a way to introduce new content or reinvigorate the fanbase. GTA Online has a dedicated audience, but as Grand Theft Auto 5 nears its tenth anniversary, fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of GTA 6. Rumors of GTA 6’s development have been circulating for years, but with no specific reveal and an upcoming relaunch of GTA 5 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in March, its potential release date seems like it’s still far in the future. A mobile version of GTA Online may be what fans need more than GTA 6 as a result.
It’s important to note, however, that Take-Two Interactive’s acquisition of Zynga hasn’t been finalized yet. The companies will have to jump through quite a few bureaucratic hoops before Zynga officially becomes a part of the Take-Two Interactive family. That said, if the deal goes through, mobile ports of profitable Take-Two Interactive games or mobile additions to beloved franchises seem all but inevitable with Grand Theft Auto Online at the forefront.